1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning unit for optical connector and a cleaning tool for optical connector, which clean the joint side face of an optical connector in a connector housing.
2. Description of Related Art
As is widely known, in a plug-adaptor-plug connection type optical connector, optical connectors (plugs) are inserted into a connector housing to be an adaptor from opposite sides of the adaptor, and are connected inside the adaptor.
In a plug-receptacle connection type optical connector, one optical connector (a ferrule or the like) to be connected is held inside a connector housing to be a receptacle at one side thereof, and the other optical connector (plug) is inserted into the receptacle from the other side of the receptacle and connected to the one optical connector.
To connect optical connectors inside a connector housing such as an adaptor or a receptacle, the side faces of the optical fibers facing the join end faces of the optical connectors are arranged face-to-face and connected together.
If there is fouling or dust, or spot such as oil on the join end faces of the optical connectors at the time of inserting the optical connectors into the connector housing and connecting them together, this may lead to problems such as causing damage when they are inserted and removed or increasing the transmission loss; for this reason, the join end faces must be cleaned prior to connection. Conventionally, the join end faces are cleaned by using a cleaning tool such as a tape-like cleaner or a swab impregnated with alcohol, the cleaning tool being held directly by hand, touched the join end faces of the optical connectors, and wiped over the join end faces (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-284147).
When the conventional cleaning tool described above is used, in order to clean the join end faces of the optical connectors inside the connector housing, the cleaning tool must be inserted into the space (connector insertion hole) inside the connector housing for inserting the other optical connectors. Since the join end face of the optical connector to be cleaned is placed at the far end from the connector insertion hole, it is extremely hard to see, making it difficult to confirm whether the cleaning tool is properly touching the join end face and how the cleaning operation is proceeding; consequently, the cleaning may not always be successful.
Furthermore, when the cleaning tool touches the side walls of the connector housing during the cleaning operation, the cleaning tool becomes dirty, and may damage or soil the join end face if the cleaning tool directly touches the join end face in this state; for this reason, the cleaning tool must be inserted with great care, making the operation troublesome.
On the other hand, removing the optical connectors to be cleaned from the connector housing makes it easier to see and easier to touch the cleaning tool to the join end faces. However, the operation of inserting the optical connectors into the connector housing after cleaning must be performed with great care to ensure that fouling, dust, and the like, do not adhere to the optical connectors; this, combined with the time taken to insert and remove the optical connectors, makes the operation considerably more complex.